Never said it was all about Fukushima or the Tsunami. However the film is very clear that it drew a lot of inspiration from those events from the political talks to the scene design. When you directly lift responses, imagery, and context from a real-life event, that event's context has to be addressed. And actually while I do agree the central narrative of Japan needing to stand more on its own is true, very much so in fact, I do argue it is done through the contextual lens of portraying its current alliance with the US as almost entirely negative. There are legitimate gripes to be made about the USA's treatment of its ally, many I'd strongly argue for in fact on grounds of sociopolitical, economic, and defensive means. However when the filmmakers choose to use times and sites that sort of relationship's benefits far, far outweighed the costs and shifts the blame of tragedies onto unrelated parties, that's when I feel myself rolling my eyes.kamilleblu wrote: France is mentioned twice if I remember correctly. Immediately before and following Operation Yashiori. Germany is mentioned once. China and Russia get mentioned twice. What I gathered from this is that Japan cannot just rely on a single ally all of the time. Thus Cussing's comment, "Japan has grownup enough to have international deals on the sly." Compare that to moments earlier in the film. One of the first responses from a Japanese government official is to ask the United States to handle the matter on Japan's behalf and later the officials cheer the US on when they bomb Godzilla. Shin Godzilla does not come across as anti-US or push for Japan to avoid the US. It seems to advocate a more balanced relationship between the two countries and balanced is a word that would be difficult to use to define US-Japan relations. Shin Godzilla is bigger than Fukushima. It's a reflection on Japanese-US relations as a whole.
For a good comparison piece, I feel this sort of relationship was better addressed in the context of the times by Godzilla (1984). There the prevailing Japanese concern was it was this small nation caught in the crosshairs of two Superpowers who seemed more itching to fight each other than they felt for concern of people in the middle. In the end this political showdown at high noon has Godzilla used like the Beast of the Apocalypse and because of the hair trigger the USSR and USA had on each other, one accident nearly results in a nuclear exchange and even after the pressing warhead issue is resolved, it still releases a horrid monster on Japan because this outside conflict they're caught between revives Godzilla.
But stop and consider this. Why was she Japanese-American? Why not make her another immigrant descent? Why not make her have no ties to Japan at all aside from political? Her character outside of scenes discussing her grandmother and her family's countrymen would be the only things to change. If her being of Japanese descent wasn't a big deal, they wouldn't have put it up front or used the actress they did. Not a matter of doubting her personality, it's a matter of looking into the motivation of why she was designed the way she was. Because that design comes with an expectation and sympathy. Because she is, in some way or form Japanese, she is thus seen as more sympathetic to a Japanese audience than a foreigner and is expected to feel a kinship too them.kamilleblu wrote: Patterson is characterized as extremely Western and it's used to contrast her with her native Japanese counterparts. I'd like to think there was more to her decision than her Japanese heritage. Based on what we see of her character, I doubt she would have abandoned Japan even if she were another nationality. What would make you think otherwise? By the way, she speaks of Japan as an other. Not something she's part of. That's an important distinction in my opinion. But what would you call this East Asian notion or could you provide a link for further reading on the subject?
I shall round up sources as I can though it might take me a moment (in exam season) to find where they might be posted online that's not behind a paywall. I got in free to a lot of source archives like JSTOR via university log-in access pages you probably couldn't use. It's not well published but think of it as an extension of the close ideals of familial and ancestral ties that are commonplace in the regions. Sometimes it is selective such as "You are from Kanto so you are always of Kanto", sometimes its national. But the notion basically goes that ancestry overrides nationality.
Except not one single character we are shown to root for in the movie is ever shown seriously and lastingly considering the nuke a valid option by parties who have much concern for Japan. Instead it is routinely seen as Japan being thrown under the bus. Every single one is adamantly against it and the valid reasons to use it as only pushed by faceless opponents who are presenting as uncaring about the Japanese plight.kamilleblu wrote: Those exceptions are the other side of the coin to a fair depiction in my opinion. I might have been more inclined to agree with you if it weren't for those comments or if there were less of them. But there are several instances showing the US in a sympathetic light. And it's not like the film doesn't equally criticize Japan or doesn't make an effort to show there are valid reasons for wanting to use the nuke.
This is the difference to me about being equally critical about the USA and about Japan in the film. While Japan has a bunch of pot shots taken to it, almost every single one is countered by a positive action by the Japanese which is shown as moral and correct, and the slip-ups done are sometimes pinned on foreign powers and pressure.
Let me make a tally chart here for the USA.
Positive
+Patterson gets marines and drones for the finale*
+A few experts help analyze Godzilla's biology
+A few officials feel sympathy for Japan's plight
+Patterson gets the team the file they had on Godzilla*
*(only done with Pattersn's help)
Negatives
-Push the idea to nuke Japan
-Give an ultimatum that the moment Godzilla resumes moving, the nuke comes down regardless of who's in the way
-Destroyed most of the Godzilla samples the research team needed
-Caused the Tokyo fireball with Godzilla retaliating
-Put a dangerous bombing raid ahead of schedule before the civilians could all evacuate
-Created the complicated bureaucracy that resulted in such initial ineptitude
-Tried to cover up Godzilla's existence and resulted in people being unprepared
-Created Godzilla in the first place
-Helped propel Goro Maki to suicide
-Tried to force other foreign powers to keep out
-Doesn't try to stick up for Japan (it's ally) against much less-than-friendly nations who want to nuke it no compromises when others (France) do
That's not exactly as balanced as you say. Again and for the final time, I do not think the movie is Anti-American. All I have is a minor gripe that I felt it was imbalanced and had some unrealistic presentation. You don't need to defend the movie from me, all I got is an opinion.
" and it's left at that, there's a reason it never resonated with audiences.
